Merry Christmas!

1.   Atlanta Falcons (13-2) – Everyone is so quick to put the Broncos in the #1 spot, but Matt Ryan is firing on all cylinders. He was extremely impressive Saturday and locked up the top seed in the NFC.

2.   Denver Broncos (12-3) – Not to discredit the Broncos, but they have an extremely easy schedule. Of all the wins, they have only beaten 2 playoff teams, the Bengals and Ravens. Their 3 losses come against playoff teams: Texans, Patriots, and Falcons.

3.   San Francisco 49ers (10-4-1) – It’s hard to believe the ‘Niners that played Sunday night were the same team that beat the Patriots in Foxboro the previous week. There was nothing pretty about that loss and the injuries to Justin Smith, Vernon Davis, and Mario Manningham should raise a few eyebrows.

4.   Green Bay Packers (11-4) – The Packers are peaking at the right time and could be deadly in the playoffs. Aaron Rodgers could possibly lead this newly healthy team to a second Super Bowl.

5.   New England Patriots (11-4) – Yes, the Patriots looked awful against the Jags on Sunday. With Talib and Dennard not playing, their entire secondary shifted back into the porous group we’re all used to seeing. With a healthy defense refreshed for the playoffs and the long awaited return of Gronk, this team will look miles better.

6.   Houston Texans (12-3) – The Texans looked bad losing at home to the Vikings. Schaub can’t play like that next week or they risk losing the #1 seed in the AFC.

7.   Seattle Seahawks (10-5) – The Seahawks look absolutely unbeatable at home. Their defense is reminiscent of the 49ers defense last year. Once they hit the road in the playoffs though…

8.   Baltimore Ravens (10-5) – Joe Flacco made some great throws Sunday night against the Giants. He proved that he can play at a high level and it doesn’t hurt to have Torrey Smith making incredible catches.

9.   Indianapolis Colts (10-5) – Congrats to Chuck Pagano for returning to the team this week. It will be interesting to see how they play the Texans with him back at the helm.

10.   Washington Redskins (9-6) – Once the joke of the NFC East, the Redskins are now one win away from winning the division for the first time since Clinton was President. Their game against the Cowboys should be a great showdown.

11.   Cincinnati Bengals (9-6) – The Bengals haven’t exactly played stellar football, but they are winning games when it counts. They will likely have a tough journey to Foxboro or Baltimore once the playoffs start.

12.   Minnesota Vikings (9-6) – Adrian Peterson’s quest for the rushing record took a hit Sunday, but fortunately getting married seemed to be exactly what Christian Ponder needed. He can lead his team into the playoffs playing like that.

13.   Chicago Bears (9-6) – After starting the season so well this team has lost all momentum. They beat the Cardinals this weekend but that’s no big deal. They will need the Packers to beat the Vikings and need a win themselves in order to make the playoffs.

14.   Dallas Cowboys (8-7) – Props to Tony Romo. He played an excellent game against the Saints and drove down the field when needed. They can still make the playoffs, though with a win on Sunday or other NFC teams losses.

15.   New York Giants (8-7) – The Giants had their playoff hopes all but extinguished by the Ravens. Regardless, there’s a slim chance they would be able to defend their title playing like they have been.

16.   St. Louis Rams (7-7-1) – Janoris Jenkins will be a star in this league for a long time. He gives the Rams defense a much needed playmaker. They should look to draft a WR in the draft to address their offensive issues.

17.   Pittsburgh Steelers (7-8) – Roethlisberger threw his second game losing interception in a row. The Steelers just can’t close games.

18.   New Orleans Saints (7-8) – It was a close game against Dallas but they were trying to play spoiler. The Saints have one more week to get back to .500

19.   Carolina Panthers (6-9) – The Panthers are making the case for Ron Rivera to keep his job. They’ve gone 5-3 in their past 8 games including four of their last five.

20.   Miami Dolphins (7-8) – Despite missing the playoffs again, they have a lot of potential. Perhaps next year they can contend for the division title.

21.   San Diego Chargers (6-9) – They beat the Jets and now they get the Raiders for their last game of the year. I guess they can end the year on a good note…

22.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-9) – The Buccs went from being wild card contenders to losing five straight games.

23.   Cleveland Browns (5-10) – The win streak had to end at some point. The Browns defense needs some serious help. Brandon Weeden should get another chance as starter next year. Adding a talented WR would help him develop.

24.   New York Jets (6-9) – Rex Ryan and Mike Tannenbaum need to go. Sanchez will likely stay as a very expensive backup due to his guaranteed $8 mil the Jets gave him to keep quiet after they signed Tebow. Vick to the Jets next year would be interesting.

25.   Buffalo Bills (5-10) – Chan Gaily is all but fired. I believe Fitzpatrick can do well if he’s coached properly, which he clearly hasn’t been.

26.   Detroit Lions (4-11) – Jon Gruden’s comment that the Falcons clinching the #1 seed is a bigger deal than Megatron beating Jerry Rice’s receiving record was completely asinine. This team needs discipline and defensive help.

27.   Arizona Cardinals (5-10) – Brian Hoyer is the best QB on this roster and should have started already. No quarterback will do well, however, with such an abysmal offensive line.

28.   Tennessee Titans (5-10) – There are no positives after getting beat 55-7

29.  Philadelphia Eagles (4-11) – Vick will get to start for what is likely the last time wearing an Eagles uniform. He and Andy Reid have a chance to go out with a bang and defeat their division rival Giants.

30.   Oakland Raiders (4-11) – Carson Palmer should have just stayed retired at home on his couch.

31.   Jacksonville Jaguars (2-13) – I can’t imagine why the Jags would want Tebow given their current draft position. He’ll put people in the stands, and that’s it.

32.   Kansas City Chiefs (2-13) – “Black Monday” will be an interesting day for the Chiefs’ organization.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new #1 team! Enjoy:

1.   New England Patriots (10-3) – The Patriots managed to completely shut down one of the best teams in the NFL on Monday night. The secondary has made huge strides and is playing well as a cohesive unit. It’s hard to tell that this team has suffered so many injuries, particularly to their best blocker and tight end, Gronkowski.

2.   Denver Broncos (10-3) – Did anyone really expect the Broncos to lose Thursday night? Peyton is having his way with a weak division and they look to potentially lock up a first round bye depending on the Patriots and Texans performances in the final three weeks.

3.   San Francisco 49ers (9-3-1) – Colin Kaepernick brings a new element to the ‘Niners offense, but statistically he isn’t as good of a quarterback as Alex Smith. Regardless, he is 3-1 and can cement his starting job by beating the red-hot Patriots in primetime this weekend. This will be his toughest game of the season, by far.

4.   Atlanta Falcons (11-2) – The Falcons are weary. They peaked way too early and slowly started falling as they were winning games by slimmer and slimmer margins. They are still a very good team, but they need a spark in order to avoid yet another early playoff exit.

5.   Houston Texans (11-2) – Matt Schaub is still wandering around New England trying to find the end zone. He needs to rebound quickly or else they can lose their division title and bye week really quickly.

6.   Green Bay Packers (9-4) – Of all the teams to hold Aaron Rodgers without a TD pass at home for the first time in 36 games, I’m shocked it was the Lions. The Packers are winning but they will need more consistency.

7.   Seattle Seahawks (8-5) – Normally beating the Cardinals wouldn’t be impressive, but a score of 58-0 is hard to overlook. The defense is near dominant and Russell Wilson has complete control of the offense.

8.   New York Giants (8-5) – The Giants were able to shut down Drew Brees, but unfortunately for them the entire rest of the NFC East won as well. They need to start playing their best football since the surging Redskins are after that division crown.

9.   Baltimore Ravens (9-4) – Cam Cameron should have been fired years ago and in the offseason, not now right before the playoffs and when their playoff seed is in such jeopardy. It will be interesting to see how the team responds.

10.   Washington Redskins (7-6) – Watching Kirk Cousins lead the comeback win was amazing to watch. Thankfully for the ‘Skins, RGIII doesn’t have a serious injury and should return for this weekend’s game. Even if he is held out a week, Cousins looks like he could lead them to a win over the Browns.

11.   Indianapolis Colts (9-4) – It’s weird to think the Colts have the opportunity to steal the division crown from the Texans in the final games of the season. I doubt it actually happens, but never say never in this league.

12.   Chicago Bears (8-5) – Jay Cutler’s interceptions finally cost this team a game. Don’t just pin it on Cutler, though. The Bears’ defense made AP look unstoppable.

13.   Cincinnati Bengals (7-6) – The Bengals missed a huge opportunity to capitalize on the Ravens and Steelers losing. They blew a nine-point lead late in the game.

14.   Dallas Cowboys (7-6) – Yes, I know the Cowboys beat the Bengals this weekend and so should be higher up on my rankings. The Cowboys are 7-6 and could overtake the Giants for the division title. I’m not buying it.

15.   Minnesota Vikings (7-6) – Perhaps Christian Ponder isn’t the future of this team. He makes mistakes like he gets paid to so…or like he plays for the Raiders.

16.   Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) – I couldn’t believe the Steelers got manhandled by the Chargers in Big Ben’s return. Injuries are finally taking their toll and could hold this team out of the playoffs.

17.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7) – Losing at home to this year’s Eagles team is embarrassing. The Buccs need to fix the problems in the secondary; they’ve lost three straight.

18.   St. Louis Rams (6-6-1) – While the Buccs above have lost three in a row, the Rams have won three in a row. I think they’re still two years away from another playoff berth, but they’re slowly getting there.

19.   New Orleans Saints (5-8) – This team is never going to win with that awful defense and Drew Brees throwing picks like it’s his job.

20.   Cleveland Browns (5-8) – Trent Richardson is a beast. Enough said.

21.   San Diego Chargers (5-8) – It’s funny that the Chargers won the same week that reports of Norv Turner’s firing surfaced. No late-season push is going to save his job.

22.   Miami Dolphins (5-8) – Tannehill isn’t throwing picks, but he’s also not completing passes in general.

23.   Carolina Panthers (4-9) – Cam Newton has quietly improved and the Panthers’ defense made some big plays against the very good Falcons.

24.   New York Jets (6-7) – The Jets don’t stand a chance at a wild card seed. Ignore all the idiots. They can’t keep pulling wins out their butts forever

25.   Buffalo Bills (5-8) – Update your resume, Chan Gailey, and do yourself a favor and leave out “offensive coordinator.”

26.   Detroit Lions (4-9) – The Lions could have pulled out a win against the Packers on Sunday, but that’s the big problem with this team now, closing out big games.

27.   Tennessee Titans (4-9) – Oh no! The Titans were officially eliminated from the playoffs on Sunday. Just when I thought they were going to make a miracle late-season comeback…

28.  Philadelphia Eagles (4-9) – Andy Reid was celebrating after the win on Sunday like he just won the Super Bowl trophy he’ll never get.

29.   Arizona Cardinals (4-9) – The Cardinals signed Brian Hoyer this week, instantly making him the best quarterback on their roster. They’d be insane not to start him immediately.

30.   Jacksonville Jaguars (2-11) – The Jags were 2/16 on third downs. That’s…bad.

31.   Kansas City Chiefs (2-11) – Once Succup missed the 27-yard FG early in the game, it all went downhill.

32.   Oakland Raiders (3-10) – Carson Palmer can’t sustain a drive to save his life. He should have just stayed retired. Then again, the interceptions aren’t going to throw themselves.

Sep 9, 2012; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans defensive end Antonio Smith (94) reacts after a sack against the Miami Dolphins at Reliant Stadium. The Texans defeated the Dolphins 30-10. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

After week 2, we have some teams on the rise and some that plummeted. Where did your team end up? Let me know what you think!

1.   San Francisco 49ers (2-0) – Anyone else scared to play the 49ers? Their team is completely balanced on both sides of the ball and has beaten two very good teams in the Packers and Lions.

2.   Houston Texans (2-0) – The Texans look as good as people speculated they might be this year, although they have a weak schedule to open the season. It’ll be interesting to see how they play against Denver next week.

3.   Atlanta Falcons (2-0) – “Matty Ice” looked very impressive against the Broncos on Monday night. He leads the team efficiently and with the improved defense, this team is poised for a deep playoff run.

4.   Green Bay Packers (1-1) – The Packers’ defense looked great but part of that could have been how bad the Bears O-line was. They completely tore through them and looked like a dominant defense again.

5.   New England Patriots (1-1) – Despite the heartbreaking loss against the Cardinals in the final seconds of the game, the Patriots are still one of the best teams in the league. They signed Kellen Winslow Jr. to take the place of injured Aaron Hernandez, who will be out 4-6 weeks. They have a very tough game in Baltimore this Sunday night; it will test this team’s resilience.

6. Baltimore Ravens (1-1) – Where did “Joe Cool” go? Last weekend’s game against the Eagles showed us a very different Joe Flacco than week one. He needs to get back on-point, since they are going to have their hands full against the Patriots this Sunday.

7.   New York Giants (1-1) – I was at a loss for words. Did Eli have a good game? Well, he threw 510 yards but 3 picks. The picks don’t really matter, though, since he single-handedly won the Giants the game. He may be clutch in the 4^th, but he needs to stay sharp for a full 60 minutes.

8.  Detroit Lions (1-1) – The Lions looked very good despite the loss to the Niners. They should bounce back with ease against the Titans next weekend.

9.   Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1) – Ben Roethlisberger did a great job of moving the ball down the field. They should develop the run game more, however, to lighten his load.

10.   Chicago Bears (1-1) – I laughed my as$ off watching Jay Cutler get rocked this past Thursday. He had the stones to call out the Packers’ defense and they had a big answer for him. The Bears’ O-line MUST improve if they want to have a shot at a Super Bowl title.

11.  Philadelphia Eagles (2-0) – The Eagles are probably the worst 2-0 team besides the Cardinals. Vick has thrown 6 interceptions in only two games. He’s lucky the first game was against the Browns and not a good team. I’m inclined to blame the coaching since McCoy should have the ball in his hands the majority of the game and not Vick.

12. Denver Broncos (1-1) – Monday night’s game against the Falcons brought Bronco fans down to reality. Peyton showed the world that he isn’t the same as he used to be; his arm strength just isn’t there. John Fox should work on developing the run game, so the load isn’t completely on Peyton.

13. Dallas Cowboys (1-1) -  I originally had the Cowboys winning this weekend’s game at Seattle, but changed my mind because of their shaky past and the 12^th man factor of the Seahawks. Looks like I was right. Same old Cowboys.

14.   San Diego Chargers (2-0) – The Chargers usually get off to a slow start, but 2-0 has them sitting pretty in a division of mediocrity. If they can maintain their offensive production, perhaps we could see a Chargers team like the mid 2000’s

15.   Washington Redskins (1-1) – I’m sure ‘Skins fans all over America are ready to tattoo “I <3 RG3” on their arms. For the first time in ages, they have a quarterback to not only keep them in games, but to actually lead the team and thrive. Sunday’s loss was not his fault.

16.  Cincinnati Bengals (1-1) – Playing the Browns was probably a breath of fresh air after the beating they took from the Ravens last Monday night. An easy win, plus the Ravens lost.

17.   New York Jets (1-1) – I was right, it wasn’t the Jets that were good last week, the Bills were just plain bad. Tebow will not help this team; ignore the cries of the ignorant.

18.  Arizona Cardinals (2-0) – The Cardinals got incredibly lucky this past weekend. That deathly fumble at the end can be forgotten. Despite being 2-0, the Cards are the exact opposite of perfect. The QB situation is a mess and doesn’t show signs of being cleaned up any time soon.

19.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1) – The Buccs played alright on Sunday until the 4^th quarter. Greg Schiano is the best thing to happen to this team since Jon Gruden, but they can’t allow a QB to pass for over 500 yards anymore.

20.  Carolina Panthers (1-1) – Cam Newton is the best quarterback to ever set foot in Carolina. Yea, better than Jake Delhomme who took them to a Super Bowl.

21.  Seattle Seahawks (1-1) – Russell Wilson looked even better in his second game but there is still plenty of room for improvement. He needs to develop a strong connection with his receivers, particularly Sidney Rice.

22.  Buffalo Bills (1-1) – Good news for Bills fans! Ryan Fitzpatrick has more rushing yards than Chris Johnson! He’s a more accomplished rusher than passer.

23.  St. Louis Rams (1-1) – The Rams were impressive in a win against the Redskins. They need more receivers to step up in order to help QB Sam Bradford

24.  Indianapolis Colts (1-1) – Andrew Luck is developing a Manning-like connection with WR Reggie Wayne. They are still a long way out from making the playoffs, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they ended the season around 8-8

25.   New Orleans Saints (0-2) – Wow, do the Saints miss Sean Payton. I knew the Saints would either thrive without him just to prove everyone wrong, or completely tank. Obviously, they went with the second option. I can just picture Payton screaming at his TV from the couch.

26.  Kansas City Chiefs (0-2) – Well, the Chiefs are my disappointment this year, and it’s only just begun. I expected them to finally emerge from the AFC West as the team to beat, but clearly not.

27.  Tennessee Titans (0-2) – Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has more rushing yards than Chris Johnson. Need I say more?

28.  Miami Dolphins (1-1) – Reggie Bush was a beast last weekend. He still won’t lead the league in rushing, but if he keeps up his production I’ll stop making fun of him for his prediction.

29.  Oakland Raiders (0-2) – The Raiders rank 31^st in points per game and rushing yards per game. With Darren McFadden in the backfield, this shouldn’t be happening. What a mess of a franchise.

30.  Minnesota Vikings (1-1) – Poor Vikings fans. Even with one of the best running backs in the league, the team isn’t going anywhere for a long time.

31.  Cleveland Browns (0-2) - RB Trent Richardson gave Browns fans hope for the future this past Sunday. This team is still so young, though, I don’t see any improvement just yet.

32.  Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) – “With the first pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars select…”